Your Puny Red Men Are No Match for Giganotosaurus

I mean, give Mike a break.

Mike went 1-3 at his first event… Where he had Spit Flame and a Dragon.

Then, to redeem himself, he went 2-2 in the one where he had a Banefire.

His little red creatures were no match for Giganotosaurus. Patrick concedes that a man might be scarred by such an experience. I mean… GGGGG!

But Mike insists that he wants to play it in Standard.

Giganotosaurus is Not as Good as Verdurous Gearhulk

Patrick points out that Verdurous Gearhulk is still legal in Standard.

“It doesn’t eat an Abrade.”

“It doesn’t leave a bunch of +1/+1 counters everywhere, either.”

Is Mike insane?

The Payoff of Giganotosaurus

Mike insists that he wants to try Giganotosaurus. It can sit right on the turn-three curve! I mean…

1. T-1 Llanowar Elves
2. T-2 two Elvish Rejuvenator
3. T-3 three GGGGG!

Yeah? Yeah?

Mike likes Elvish Rejuvenator because, not slaved to basic lands, it can flip over a Desert on turn two or three. This not only sets up a three-to-five Ramp; it can get the first Desert you need for Hour of Promise.

Patrick is still unconvinced.

The main problem isn’t that a 10/10 for five mana — in Sealed Deck or no — isn’t formidable. The problem is that you really have to warp your mana around the ability to produce five green mana on demand.

But here’s the secret:

We already had Thrashing Brontodon. Now there’s Runic Armasaur. Ghalta, Primal Hunger is cake to cast when you have so many big bodies.

The secret is that at a critical number of Dinosaurs, you get to legitimately play Thunderherd Migration.

Thunderherd Migration is the payoff!

Most of the time we think about what we’re Ramping into as the payoff. But this is a case where we get to play one of the most powerful cards in the format… That no one else gets to play.

So, what do you think? GG with the GGGGG?

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Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma

When might you play Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma?

Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma is the king queen of Bears!

I know, I know… Goreclaw is not a 2/2 for 1G; but Bear it claims to be.

Okay, okay… Let’s get past the Vorthos on this card. What might make you want to play it… Or not?

Three toughness.

In a world of where Lightning Strike and Abrade are played in the most popular deck, three toughness is a bit of a liability on a four casting cost creature; at least one that isn’t doing something absolutely card advantageous on the way in.

Patrick speculates that the three toughness is a deliberate structural weakness in the card against red — a weakness green doesn’t usually have — for other reasons.

“Have a little empathy.”

Other reasons? Well we’d have to have a doozy of one to accept such a limitation. Maybe a better driving question would be…

WHY Would You play Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma?

Easy: You want to get the drop on a seven-drop.

Goreclaw costs four. Presumably you hit your land drop the following turn. That’s five. Alongside Goreclaw’s two mana-breaking ability, you can hit something like the new Darigaaz the next turn!

Bam!

Seven!

Kind of need your three toughness four-drop to live for that to work out.

Michael is not necessarily convinced. Among other issues, the best five-power [green] creature in the format [by his estimation], Steel Leaf Champion, not only comes down before Goreclaw most of the time… Even when you draw your creatures in the right order, Goreclaw won’t help you cast it.

Another new green monster maybe?

Fine, Fine… How About Runic Armasaur Then?

Runic Armasaur

Size-wise, this card is comparable to the ubiquitous Thrashing Brontodon. That’s not a bad place to start. Runic Armasaur isn’t quite big enough to stop Hazoret the Fervent, but five toughness is a big brick wall.

Runic Armasaur is punishing to fetchlands, so may have more impact in larger formats. In Standard, it will prove quite effective against Evolving Wilds.

But where Runic Armasaur will really shine? Walking Ballista! Bam! The best card in Aether Revolt is going to have a really tough time generating card advantage against this particular dinosaur.

Speaking of dinosaurs, If Runic Armosaur is good enough, it may just make Thunderherd Migration good enough. Thrashing Brontodon, Ghalta, Gigantosaurus… There may be just enough dinosaurs to hit critical mass of thunder lizards.

We shall quickly see.

To see more; or hear more, rather, including innovations in Senor StOmPy and Dimir Midrange, click the little play button:

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Sarkhan, Fireblood

Sarkhan, Fireblood

• Effect of card: +1: You may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
  +1: Add two mana in any combination of colors. Spend this mana only to cast Dragon spells.
  -7: Create four 5/5 red Dragon creature tokens with flying.
• Converted mana cost: 3
• Type: Legendary Planeswalker – Sarkhan
• Sets: M19
• Game: Magic: The Gathering
• Colors: Red mana
• Illustrators: Grzegorz Rutkowski

+1: You may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.

Sarkhan’s first ability is kind of like a Tormenting Voice you can play each turn. This is a pretty powerful “plus” ability to tack onto a three casting cost Planeswalker.

It’s totally up to you if you want to actually discard the card; but looting to fix your hand with no associated mana cost is generally pretty attractive.

You can get an extra boost — a “personal Howling Mine” even — if you combine Sarkhan with the right cards. A great example might be new Instant Spit Flame:

Spit Flame

In a deck with a decent number of Dragons, Spit Flame let you essentially draw a card for R. But not just any card… a solid removal spell with obvious re-buy implications!

The “Dragons” bit is a decent sized clause though. Which brings us to…

+1: Add two mana in any combination of colors. Spend this mana only to cast Dragon spells.

Sarkhan is at his best in a deck with a decent number of Dragons. His second “plus” ability is quite the rule-breaker… While building loyalty!

In case you missed how powerful this ability is at first glance, Sarkhan can jump you from three mana to six in a single turn.

The implication is that you have three mana, because that’s what this card costs. Ditto on red.

If you make your next land drop, you’ve got four; add two mana from the second +1 and you’ve got Palladia-Mors mana!

Palladia-Mors, the Ruiner

Sarkhan is going to do best with some kind of red Dragons; but his second +1 can take care of up to two incremental colors.

Palladia-Mors is a good example as he illustrates the jump from three to six in a single day; and with conditional hexproof, makes for a good guardian for Sarkhan to hide behind.

-7: Create four 5/5 red Dragon creature tokens with flying.

This card’s third ability is great, and a decent part of what makes it work.

Not for nothing, but four 5/5 Dragons make 20 power

an plausibly “loot” with the [+1] a few times, just to get to the Ultimate limit break here. Four 5/5 Dragons make for 20 power, remember. So this is not just a potentially card advantageous Ultimate, but a straight up kill on the battlefield.

Check out our take on Sarkhan, Fireblood in this week’s podcast!

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… And when you’re done, we’d love it if you gave Mike’s new [Muggle] podcast a try. It’s called “Such a Crock” and co-stars his better half. The first episode is about Forbidden Sex (so Mike is making it easy for you to click).

Resplendent Angel is just one of several strong flyers from Core Set 2019, revealed earlier this week.

Resplendent Angel

• Effect of card: Flying. At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 5 or more life this turn, create a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying and vigilance. 3WWW: Until end of turn, Resplendent Angel gets +2/+2 and gains lifelink.
• Converted mana cost: 3
• Type: Angel
• Sets: M19
• Game: Magic: The Gathering
• Colors: White mana
• Illustrators: Volkan Baga

Doesn’t Resplendent Angel Just Get Killed by Abrade?

That’s the problem, right?

As a 3/3 flyer for three mana, Resplendent Angel is a nice package for its cost. Its many other abilities imply that it should be able to take over the game by itself.

But with only three toughness, it is vulnerable to multiple cards in the most popular current Strategy… Not just Abrade but Lightning Strike will eliminate this creature.

While the Angel has the ability to buff itself offensively and gain lifelink… That doesn’t cure three toughness versus instant speed removal. The same Abrades, the same Lightning Strikes, will be able to shoot it out of the sky in response.

They can’t always get her, can they? And anyway, when she’s good, she’s got to be really good.

The Resplendent Angel Payoff

Bash!

Hit you for five!

Gain five!

High five!

Extra Serra Angel, yadda yadda yadda.

Is that the payoff?

It is certainly a payoff… But there is no reason to think so narrowly.

Resplendent Angel is pretty efficient: A 3/3 flying creature for three mana is a heck of a Gnarled Mass! But this is a card that can get better in the right context.

What about playing it with Shalai, Voice of Plenty and Lyra Dawnbringer? Giving this creature +1/+1 and lifelink off the bat puts it a long way towards the Serra Angel trigger.

But that’s not all!

There are just a critical mass of life gain cantrips. You can cast Renewed Faith, gain six life, and get a 4/4. But M19 brings with it Revitalize. This card can combines both halves of Renewed Faith, but with a little less flexibility.

What we mean to say here is that at some point Crested Sunmare has got to good enough at some point, right? #horsetribal

Tons more M19 in this podcast, including scads more flyers; from Nicol Bolas to his fellow Elder Dragon Legends. Many of them look equally fantastic. Learn more in the cast:

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Wizards sent us Liliana’s Contract to reveal to you!

Liliana’s Contract

• Effect of card: When Liliana’s Contract enters the battlefield, you draw four cards and you lose 4 life. At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control four or more Demons with different names, you win the game.
• Converted mana cost: 5
• Type: Enchantment
• Sets: M19
• Game: Magic: The Gathering
• Colors: Black mana
• Illustrators: Bastien L. Deharme

… you draw four cards…

So… Who’s in it for drawing four cards?

At five mana for four cards, Liliana’s Contract is priced similarly to Tidings. In its day, Tidings was a Standard Staple in Vore decks to a variety of control decks.

While the four life is potentially prohibitive (versus, you know, losing zero life) it’s important to note people are paying four mana and two life to draw cards in black right this format.

For one more mana, Lilian’s Contract represents a powerful upside.

Its being an enchantment is quite interesting; you can draw four into your Demons, it can sit around waiting for a win, or you can play it after you’ve already got your Demons.

This implies, of course, people will want to play for the Demons. Some might just want to draw four cards.

… four or more Demons…

Lilian’s Contract is powerful and flexible. It can probably fuel a black control deck that happens to play Demons… Or you can play a dedicated Demon-combo deck.

There are multiple playable Demons in Standard. Ammit Eternal has already proved Top 8-capable; while Demonlord Belzenlok is the “big bad” of Dominaria. Lilian’s Contract might be great randomly alongside a handful of already-good-enough Demons.

But you can also try a dedicated strategy!

With Arcane Adaptation, you can turn any creature into a Demon

Thanks again to Wizards! See you back here tomorrow for our regularly scheduled episode.

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We’re already seeing new cards from Core Set 2019! Two of the most promising are the Militia Bugler and Planeswalker Vivien Reid.

Where Would You Put Militia Bugler?

Militia Bugler is a source of card advantage that is somewhat restrictive on your deck design.

Like Gonti, Lord of Luxury, Militia Bugler is a 2/3 creature with an ability once it hits the battlefield. In Gonti’s case it is Deathtouch and in the Bugler’s case Vigilance. Both of them generate card advantage by looking at the top of someone’s library; theirs in Gonti’s case, your own in the Bugler’s.

Militia Bugler has the benefit of costing three mana rather than four; but comes with a meaningful deck design price: If you’re going to get paid off by Militia Bugler, you will have to have a certain number of [other] creatures with a maximum of two printed power.

If you’ve built your deck appropriately, Militia Bugler plays in the range of Sea Gate Oracle or Court Hussar — both contributing creatures in their respective Standard formats.

Perhaps most importantly for Standard, Militia Bugler can grab you the zero-printed-power powerhouse, Walking Ballista!

Is Vivien Reid “the green Teferi”?

Vivien Reid will be a key Role Player in Standard, if not quite “the Green Teferi”.

“I’m not in it for the emblem.”
-Mike

Like Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, Vivien Reid is a five mana planeswalker.

Both draw extra cards with their first abilities; both blow up things (with some measure of limitation) with their second abilities. Your mileage will vary substantially with their respective limit breaks, though.

“Even when it lines up right, it’s worse than Teferi every step of the way.”
-Patrick

Mike’s initial love for this card comes from its very obvious superiority over the already-played Crushing Canopy. Sure, Vivien Reid costs two more mana than Crushing Canopy, but the [-3] ability is wildly better! Not only can you potentially keep a draw-engine planeswalker, you gain the ability to destroy artifacts.

This thing is a fantastic answer to Lyra Dawnbringer, right?

Coming back to the card advantage ability, Patrick points out the [+1] is quite a bit better than just drawing a card. You can Impulse for a land if you need it, and otherwise, you’re probably digging for Brontodon, Chupacabra, or The Scarab God.

Basically, Patrick likes Bugler best among the new cards; and Mike likes Vivien Reid best. But there are lots of great cards revealed from Core Set 2019. We go over lots more of them.

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This is History of Benalia:

History of Benalia

A Saga is a sorcery-speed enchantment.

It produces two power on the first turn you play it. Then, when you reach Chapter II of the Saga, it produces an additional two power. Consequently — and not to be too obvious — but that is four power across multiple bodies for three total mana.

Thanks to Chapter III’s “Knights you control get +2/+1 until end of turn[,]” with only the two Knights, you can attack for eight on the card’s third turn in play! Because of this, History of Benalia can both burst forward offensively and slow the opponent down with multiple blockers defensively.

This is Lingering Souls:

Lingering Souls

Like History of Benalia, Lingering Souls produces two power for your initial three mana investment. To get the next two power, you need to invest an additional two mana (and in another color).

Certainly, Lingering Souls has some considerable upside relative to History of Benalia. You get more bodies. Those bodies in fact fly. You can get all four on on turn if you have five mana available… But that’s the crux of it; with History of Benalia, you never need to pay the additional two mana!

This is Raff Capashen, Ship’s Mage:

Raff Capashen, Ship’s Mage

“Saga” is a Historic type; consequently, Raff likes History of Benalia.

One of the many synergies that you can exploit thanks to Dominaria‘s heavily Historic themes is to play History of Benalia during times that you couldn’t normally play an enchantment or other sorcery-speed card (e.g. Lingering Souls).

History of Benalia has already started showing up in a variety of decks. It is going to be a great card in Historic-themed decks, white swarm decks (or B/W Tokens decks), and will be a consideration for everything from G/W Aggro to U/W Control.

Someone should write a song about how good this card is.

But for now, please settle for this podcast:

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